Maiden Flight

…otherwise known as Witches’ Knickers.

This painting was inspired by the revelation that ‘witches’ knickers’ is a slang term for plastic bags caught on trees and hedges. The term appears to be Irish in origin.

I made several sketches of witches loosing their knickers while flying on broomsticks, and was inclined at first to then use three witches which would conform to the ‘Triple Goddess’ idea of the very witchy Hecate, as Maiden, Mother and Crone. However a group of 5 was more fun, and so we have a rather serene all-knowing Mother witch, closely followed by a very naughty and experienced old Crone witch, and behind both come three acolyte would-be witches, very shocked at what turns out to be the reality of broomstick-riding.

And there is a deeply unimpressed cat, too, of course. Like the knickers, the cat has fallen off. Again.